Car coupler



Nov. 17, 1964 K. L. DE PENTI CAR COUPLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 20,1963 Nov. 17, 1964 K. 1.. DE PENTI CAR COUPLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed.Aug. 20, 1963 INVENTOR.

K /1//V[ 7 L. DEF! /V7/ United States Patent Oflice 3,l?,289 PatentedNov. 17, 1984 3,157,289 QIAR (IGUPLER Kenneth L. De Penti, MayfieldHeights, Ghio, assignor to National Castings Company, (Ileveland, Ghio,a corporation of Ohio Filed Aug. 20, 1%3, Ser. No. 303,366 8 Qiaims.(Cl. 213-4 This invention relates to car couplers for railway vehiclesand more particularly to anti-coupling abutment means afiixed to acoupler head to prevent the complete coupling of similar couplerscarrying identical abutment means.

As is well known in the railway art, the modern rotary dump systememployed in the mining industry eliminates the necessity of uncouplingand separating the loaded cars from an assembled ore train in order tounload the contents of the cars. Advances in this field permit thecradle of the rotary type dumper to rotate the car about itslongitudinal coupler axes.

In such a rotary dump system, one end of the ore car is provided with arotatable coupler; that is, a coupler having a shank and yoke connectionwhich permits the coupler to rotate relative to the yoke. The other endof the car is provided with a coupler having a conventional ornon-rotary type attachment. For proper operation of this system, arotatable coupler is always coupled with a non-rotatable coupler. Such acoupling orientation maintains the rotatable coupler in the normal,upright position subsequent to the unloading operation.

In a rotary dump system when two adjacent ore cars in an ore train areincorrectly orientated, the yard personnel in checking the assembly ofthe train would normally notice the improper orientation. However,should such an improper orientation escape the attention of the yardpersonnel and a rotary dump operation attempted, the two non-rotary typecoupled couplers would be the proximate cause of a derailment when thecradle of the rotary dumper attempted to rotate one of the cars.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a carcoupler with anti-coupling abutment means which will positively preventthe coupling of two similarly opposing type couplers during an attemptedcoupling operation.

A correlative object to the preceding object is to provide aninterlocking type F coupler with anti-coupling abutment means.

Still another object is to provide a rotary dump ore car with a rotarytype coupler attached at one end and a non-rotary type coupler attachedat the other end having anti-coupling abutment means afiixed thereto toprevent the coupling of two adjacent ore cars having similar opposingcouplers at their ends.

The above objects and others apparent hereinbelow are fulfilled in aknuckle type car coupler having a head, a guard arm and an aligning Wingwith the usual knuckle spaced intermediately thereof and a transversecoupling plane normal to its longitudinal central axis. The couplerdiffers from the prior art primarily in that the guard arm and aligningwing each carry an anti-coupling abutment projection which issubstantially equidistant from the central axis in both lateral andvertical directions. Each projection extends forwardly beyond thecoupling plane and terminates in a fiat front surface to provide anabutment for engaging a projection on another similar coupler therebypreventing the coupler mating relation during an attempted couplingoperation.

lln the drawings, with respect to which the invention is describedbelow:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top View of an interlocking type F car couplermade in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the coupler illustrated inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, opposite to that shown in FIG. 2of the car coupler of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of two similarly opposed couplers ofthe invention in an abutting but uncoupled relation.

FIG. 5 illustrates a conventional interlocking type F coupler and acoupler in accordance with the invention in draft mating relation.

FIG. 6 illustrates the position of the two couplers of PEG. 5 in a buffcondition.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of two rotary dump cars incoupled relation il ustrating the proper orientation of adjacent cars inan ore train.

Referring to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, an interlockingtype F coupler It is shown having a shank ii and a head 12 integrallyunited therewith. A longitudinal central axis LL is indicated asextending through the coupler head 12 and shank 11.

in regions horizontally offset from the central axis L-L, the head has aforwardly extending guard arm 13 on one side of the central axis and analigning wing 1 on the opposite side of the axis. The Wing has a pair ofvertically spaced interlocking lugs 15 and 15a equidistantly spacedlaterally and above and below the axis. Disposed intermediately of theaxis LL and the lugs 15 and 15a, the head has a bearing portion or pivotlug 16 which receives a pin 21. The pivot lug and the pin pivotallysupport a knuckle 117 having a bufiing face 18, a nose 1'9, and apulling face 20. Between the pivot lug 1d and the guard arm 13, the head12 has a contour vertically extending surface 22 forming a Wide,forwardly opening knuckle receiving recess 23. Rearward of the Walldefining the surface 22, the head is provided with a hollow chamber 24having a top Wall 25, a rear Wall 26, generally referred to as the horn,and side walls 27 and 23, respectively, for housing the associatedcomponent parts of the coupler.

A coupling plane CC normal to the central axis LL in a verticaldirection traverses the axis forward of the contour surface 22 todefine, when two similar opposing couplers are in mating engagement, theamount of longitudinal slack between the coupled couplers when thecouplers are in a buff condition. As the knuckle 17 of each couplerenters the knuckle receiving recess 23 of the opposing coupler andengages the opposing knuckle in a knuckle lock relation, the couplingplanes of both couplers, concurrently with the locking of the knuckles,coincide or merge into a single plane. A condition of coincidence of thecoupling planes occurs, e.g., when new couplers are coupled andsubjected to a draft load. That is to sa the coupling planes coincide atthe greatest separation attainable lengthwise of their pulling axiswhile in coupled relationship. Expressed in still another mode,coincidence of the coupling planes represents the maxi- 2D mumseparation of the couplers at which they may be coupled.

Further movement of each coupler towards one another causes the planesto pass out of coincidence into a separated, but generally parallelrelationship. The extent of overrunning of the two planes out ofcoincidence corresponds to the amount of longitudinal slack between thecoupled couplers. The maximum amount of slack is equal to thelongitudinal distance, as illustrated in FIG. 6, between the couplingplanes C-C and C -C when the buffing face 18 of each knuckle T7 is in anabutt ng relation with a portion of the contour surface 22 of theopposing coupler.

The coupler has a forwardly tapering projection which cooperates with acomplementary socket of another coupler to maintain good a.ignment ofthe two couplers. The projection 39 extends longitudinally outward fromthe forward end of the guard arm 13 in vertical symmetry with thecentral axis LL. The projection 3-3 has rearwardly extending, top andbottom sloping surfaces 31 and 32. Surfaces 31 and 32 each intersect anupper and a lower horizontal flat surface 33 and 34 respectively.Surfaces 33 and 5-:- of the projecting member 39 terminate equidistantlyrearward of the coupling plane C-C in a substantially vertical top andbottom planar surface 35 an 36 of an upper front wall 37 and a bottomfront wall (not shown) respectively. Upwardly extending reinforcementribs 3i and 49, forming a portion of the outer peripheral wall of theguard arm 13 and a portion of the knuckle receiving recess 23,respectively, structurally join the upper wall 37 to thus strengthen andintegrate the head structure. Similar reinforcement ribs join the bottomwall.

The vertically spaced lugs 15 and 1511 on the knuckle side of thecoupler form a wedge shaped socket or recess adapted to complementallyreceive the projecting member 36 as hereinbefore mentioned. The lug 15comprises a bottom wall 46 having a fiat, horizontal, downwardly facingsurface 47, a vertical wall 48 having a substantially vertical abutmentsurface 4-9 and upwardly extending reinforcement ribs 5% and 51 whichstructurally unite the wall 4-3 to the coupler head 12. Lug 15a issimilarly structurally united to the head. Lugs 15 and 15a terminateforwardly of the coupling plane C-C and are designed to abut against thevertical planar surfaces 35 and 36 of an opposing coupler when coupledtherewith.

In accordance with the present invention, to prohibit the coupling oftwo similar non-rotary type opposing couplers in a rotary dump system,anti-coupling abutment means are provided to prevent the occurrence ofthe coincidental relation hereinabove referred to with respect to thecoupling planes. That is, the anti-coupling abutment means limits theextent to which a knuckle 17 of one coupler may enter the knucklereceiving recess 23 of an opposing coupler subsequent to th alignment ofthe couplers in both the vertical and horizontal direction.

Preferably the anti-coupling abutment means are dis posed substantiallyequidistantly from both sides of the longitudinal central axis LL in ahorizontal plane. In the embodiment illustrated, the anti-coupling meanscomprise a guard arm anti-coupling projection 60 and an aligning winganti-coupling projection 61 disposed in a superjacent spaced relationrelative to the projection member 30 and wedge-shaped recess 45,respectively, and equidistantly spaced from the longitudinal centralaxis L-L in a vertical direction.

The guard arm anti-coupling projection 66 is an integral part of thecoupler head 12 and comprises an extension of the reinforcement ribs 39and 4G upwardly beyond the top wall 25 of the lock chamber 24 andforwardly, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 in hatched lines to provide aforward abutment wall 62. This wall has a substantial vertical flatsurface 63 in vertical and longitudinal offset relation to the verticalplanar surface 35. The projection has side walls 64 and 65, and a bottomwall 66 in cantilever relation to the front upper wall 37. As a result,a cavity 67 occurs intermediately of the projecting member 30 andanti-coupling projection 60. As shown in PEG. 3, dot-dash line Aindicates the upper external boundary of the guard arm without theaddition of the invention as disclosed herein.

The aligning wing projection 61 comprises an extension of thereinforcement ribs 50 and 51, similar to the construction of the guardarm anti-coupling projection 69, and is arranged structurally to providea substantially vertical wall 58 having a front fiat surface 69 invertical and longitudinal offset relation to vertical abutment surface49. The projection 61 also has side walls 70 and '71, and a bottom wall72 in overhanging relation to vertical wall 43. FIGS. 1 and 2 eachillustrate, in hatched line, the addition of the projection 61 to thecoupler it) v ierein dot-dash line B in FIG. 2 indicates the upperlimiting line of aligning wing 14 without the projection 51.

As two similarly opposing couplers approach each other in an attemptedcoupling operation, the projecting members 3d engage the wedge shapedrecesses 45 to attain vertical and horizontal alignment of the couplers.Accordingly, general common alignment of the longitudinal central axesof the couplers is attained. The projections 6i and 61 have theirtermini equidistantly beyond the transverse coupling plane CC andrearward of the junctures of sloping surfaces 31 and 32 and horizontalflat su faces 33 and 34 respectively. Thus, the projections and 61 arealso in general common alignment during the attempted couplingoperation. Hence, as the anti-coupling abutment means of the opposingcouplers abut in complementary relation, the condition of coincidence ofthe opposing coupling planes is prevented, as clearly illustrated inFIG. 4.

As mentioned hereinabove, both anti-coupling projections 6% and 61protrude forwardly beyond the respective adjacent vertical surfaces 35and 49. Thus, when two opposing couplers approach each other in anattempted coupling operation, one coupler being of the conventionalinterlocking type and the other being of the type disclosed herein, theknuckle of each coupler will enter the opposing knuckle-receiving recessand engage in a knuckle locked relationship. The anti-coupling means ofthe one coupler, in absence of anti-coupling means on the other, isineffective in prohibiting the mating relation of the two couplers.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the coupler 10 in accordance with the inventionand a conventional interlocking type F rotatable coupler in aknuckle-lock relation. In FIG. 5 the couplers are in a draft conditionwith the pulling faces 29 of the knuckles in mating engagement. It willbe noted that the lug 15 of the conventional coupler enters the cavity6'7 on the guard arm side of the opposing coupler lit and the aligningwing projection 61 of the opposing coupler 10 overhangs the guard arm onthe conventional coupler 39.

Thus, what has been described hereinabove is a car coupler adapted forcoupling engagement with a conventional interlocking type F coupler andnon-coupling engagement with a similar coupler having anti-couplingabutment means comprising coextending projections equidistantly spacedabove the longitudinal central axis. As schematically represented inFIG. 7, the invention is preferably applied to the non-rotatable coupler10 which is attached to one end of a rotary dump vehicle 85.Accordingly, the other end of the vehicle has attached thereto therotatable coupler 80. Thus, when the rotary dump vehicle is properlyorientated with another rotary vehicle 35, the rotatable coupler 80 isalways coupled with a non-rotatable coupler 10.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms ofdescription and not of limitation and there is no intention of excludingsuch equivalents of the invention described or of the portions thereofas fall within the purview of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic car coupler comprising:

a head facing in a forward direction for coupling with another couplerand having a longitudinal central axis adapted for making generallycommon alignment with the longitudinal central axis of said othercoupler when in a coupled relation therewith, said head having atransverse coupling plane normal to said longitudinal central axis; and

anti-coupling abutment means fixed to the coupler extending beyond saidcoupling plane, said abutment means being disposed substantiallyequidistant from both sides of said axis in a horizontal plane forengaging abutment means of another similar coupler thereby preventing afully coupled condition during at attempted coupling operation.

2. The car coupler of claim 1 wherein:

said abutment means is disposed equidistantly from said axis in avertical plane.

3. The car coupler of claim 1 wherein:

said head has a guard arm and an aligning wing spaced from said axis inopposite lateral directions and said abutment means comprises:

an anti-coupling projection afiixed to said guard arm,

and

an anti-coupling projection afiixed to said aligning wing,

and

each of said projections having a fiat front surface terminating beyondsaid coupling plane.

4. The car coupler of claim 3 wherein:

said projections terminate equidistantly beyond said coupling plane.

5. The car coupler of claim 3 wherein:

said abutment means is disposed equidistantly from said axis in avertical plane. 6. A car coupler comprising:

a head facing in a forward direction for coupling with another couplerand having a longitudinal central axis adapted for making generallycommon alignment with the longitudinal central axis of said othercoupler when in a coupled relation therewith, said head having atransverse coupling plane normal to said longitudinal central axis in avertical direction; complementary tapered projecting and recessedcoupler aligning members fixed to the head substantially equidistantfrom said axis on opposite sides thereof for mating with recessed andprojecting members, respectively, of said other coupler; said membersbeing tapered both vertically and horizontally to effect vertical andhorizontal alignment of said couplers; and

anti-coupling abutment 1-21i'lS fixed to the coupler extending beyondsaid coupling plane, said abutment means being disposed substantiallyequidistant from both sides of said axis in a horizontal plane forengaging abutment means of another similar coupler thereby preventing afully coupled condition during an attempted coupling operation.

7. The car coupler of claim 6 wherein:

said abutment means is disposed equidistantly from said axis in avertical plane and comprisesa guard arm anti-coupling projectioninspaced superjacent relation with said tapered projecting member, and

an aligning wing anti-coupling projection in spaced superjacent relationwith said recessed member, and

said projections terminate equidistantly beyond said coupling plane andrearward of the forward end of said tapered projecting member.

8. A rotary dump railway car for use in a train of rotary dump carscomprising:

a rotary type coupler attached at one end and a nonrotary type couplerattached at the other end, said non-rotary type coupler having a headfacing in a direction for coupling with another rotary type couplerattached at one end to another railway car and having a longitudinalcentral axis adapted for making generally common alignment with thelongitudinal central axis of said other rotary type coupler when in acoupled relation therewith, said head having a transverse coupling planenormal to said longitudinal central axis; and

anti-coupling abutment means fixed to the non-rotary type couplerextending beyond said coupling plane, said abutment means being disposedsubstantially equidistant from both sides of said axis in a horizontalplane for engaging abutment means of another similar non-rotary typecoupler of said other railway car thereby preventing a fully coupledcondition during an attempted coupling operation of the two railway carswhen said similar couplers are in opposed relation to maintain theproper orientation of said cars in said train.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,433,924 Averill Oct. 31, 1922

1. AN AUTOMATIC CAR COUPLER COMPRISING: A HEAD FACING IN A FORWARDDIRECTION FOR COUPLING WITH ANOTHER COUPLER AND HAVING A LONGITUDINALCENTRAL AXIS ADAPTED FOR MAKING GENERALLY COMMON ALIGNMENT WITH THELONGITUDINAL CENTRAL AXIS OF SAID OTHER COUPLER WHEN IN A COUPLEDRELATION THEREWITH, SAID HEAD HAVING A TRANSVERSE COUPLING PLANE NORMALTO SAID LONGITUDINAL CENTRAL AXIS; AND ANTI-COUPLING ABUTMENT MEANSFIXED TO THE COUPLER EXTENDING BEYOND SAID COUPLING PLANE, SAID ABUTMENTMEANS BEING DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIDISTANT FROM BOTH SIDES OF SAIDAXIS IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE FOR ENGAGING ABUTMENT MEANS OF ANOTHERSIMILAR COUPLER THEREBY PREVENTING A FULLY COUPLED CONDITION DURING ANATTEMPTED COUPLING OPERATION.